Key Stage 1 Curriculum Overview

Underpinned by the National Curriculum our curriculum ensures that essential key skills are taught across a broad and balanced range of subjects. Additionally we feel it is important to respond to children’s interests and needs and so from time to time we may ‘tweak’ our provision to allow for children’s interests to feed into their learning and work.

The curriculum is delivered through an effective combination of teacher delivery, pupil interaction, teacher led activities and pupils’ active learning. Cross curricular thematic learning is incorporated where possible to add fluidity to pupils’ learning and homework is presented at an appropriate level for each year group and consists of consolidation and practice of classroom learning and/or opportunities for home research.

The teaching of English and Maths basic skills is a thread throughout all subjects and classroom activities provide opportunities for the application of these skills. Active learning and practical based investigation within all subjects is encouraged wherever possible to increase pupils’ sense of awe and wonder and to promote positive learning behaviours and responsibility for self-development. As pupils progress through Key Stage 2 the prevalence of open ended tasks will become greater in order to challenge thinking and to prepare pupils for secondary education.

We teach reading through systematic phonics as well as a wealth of opportunities to explore a wide range of literature and develop comprehension and love of reading.

Where children have gaps in learning, staff work closely with them through additional support and interventions in order to close those gaps and improve ability and confidence for all children.

We use Assertive Mentoring methods to support the children to meet their learning targets and goals. Assertive Mentoring is a focussed, pupil centred, collaborative approach to raising standards. It is based on a dialogue about the pupils’ present and future learning needs.

The aims of Assertive Mentoring are

Raise standards for all

Motivate and involve pupils

Inform parents and carers

Each half term, children will receive personalised targets to support their learning and address any gaps in knowledge. These will have been discussed and agreed with the child and it is expected that parents as well as school will support in the children achieving their targets.